54 REMARKS ON THE DENTAL SYSTEM OF THE MASTODON. 



represented by extending the fingers of the two hands, and thrusting them, point 

 to point, between each other. In the Mastodon, besides the division of the 

 triturating surface into denticules, the mechanism resembles that of the human 

 tooth, by the enamel covering completely the crown or body of the tooth, and 

 not being arranged into those transverse vertical layers. The texture of the 

 Mastodon teeth is also closer, or more compact. In both instances the teeth are 

 formed by excretion, and though chemically of similar materials with bone, to 

 wit, calcareous and animal matter, yet they differ organically from it in their 

 mode of production, in their manner of growth, and in their texture. As the 

 result of an excretion, they are destitute of cancellated structure, are in successive 

 laminae, enclosing one another, and have no blood-vessels penetrating into and 

 diffusing themselves in their texture. They are therefore absolutely inorganic, 

 though porous and filamentous,* and have within themselves neither a power 

 of repair nor of growth. It hence arises that, being of a fixed size, dependent 

 on the size and excretive power of their original germs, such size, which is 

 adequate to the process of mastication in an ungrown animal, is inadequate as 

 the animal increases in magnitude, and a supplementary provision is therefore 

 called for. 



The shoulders of a Mastodon, at birth, had a diameter not exceeding, proba- 

 bly, sixteen inches, by about twenty, to enable it to pass through the pelvis of 

 the female, but its full grown state is that of the largest Elephant. Allusion is 

 here made chiefly to the living Elephas Indicus. Remains of fossil Elephants 

 have been found near Verona, in Italy, which indicate a stature of fifteen feet 

 high, so far as a correct conclusion can be formed from an examination of the 

 lower jaw, and a metacarpal bone. A tusk was found there twelve feet long, 

 by nine inches in diameter, f There are, as yet, no exhumations of the Mastodon 

 which exhibit such altitude; the tallest of which w^e have the remains did not 

 exceed thirteen feet; it is probable, however, that the bulk was not inferior, as the 

 Mastodon appears to have been a stouter animal than the elephant in proportion 

 to its height. 



Remains of fossil Elephants have been found in several other parts of Italy, 

 France, Germany, Holland, and Belgium, under circumstances which leave the 

 persuasion that such animals were once indigenous to Europe. The largest 



* See Retzius on Teeth. ' 



tCuvier Ossen. Fossils, Art. Eleplians, page 11. Paris, 1812. 



